Dave Glomp to run for Madison city council in District 20, Thuy Pham-Remmele undecided

Dave Glomp announced Wednesday he's running for Madison Common Council, the second to declare for the seat currently held by Ald. Thuy Pham-Remmele.

Pham-Remmele has yet to decide whether she'll run again for the seat. In July, Matt Phair -- who is married to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's secretary -- announced his intentions of running for the seat. Many see Phair's candidacy as an attempt by the mayor to unseat Pham-Remmele, whom he's often been at odds with.

But unlike Phair, Glomp is an ally to Pham-Remmele. He helped chair a summit she called on crime in 2007 and was largely seen as helping to derail Cieslewicz's plans for streetcars.

"I don't know what Thuy's plan is," Glomp says. "But should she not run, I didn't want there to be a vacuum there."

Should Pham-Remmele decide to run again, Glomp says "I would sit down and chat with her and make sure my concerns are addressed."

Glomp, 63, says his biggest concerns in running are crime in the district, as well as affordable housing for seniors, high taxes and development. He stresses that, unlike Phair, he's lived in the district for 39 years.

"The crime things that were brought up a couple of years ago have not been addressed. I don't want to continue to watch the area deteriorate," he says. "All of the city services and development is all happening downtown and there doesn't seem to be much going on in the west side or in District 20."

Pham-Remmele says she'll make a decision about whether to run again once the budget has been finalized and the council votes on the Overture Center.

She says she welcomes Glomp into the race. "There's a lot of people mad at the mayor. In this district, people are so angry, but it seems like the mayor doesn't care," she says, adding, "I have no problem with Mr. Glomp standing up for the people and trying to improve the area."